3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Mar 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/09/2012   
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FEATURE ARTICLE 1: ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER POPULATION ESTIMATES, 2011 - PRELIMINARY


INTRODUCTION

This publication presents preliminary estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, non-Indigenous and total populations of Australia, as at 30 June 2011. These estimates are disaggregated by age, sex, and where possible, state and territory, and can be found in Tables 11 and 12 of this publication. Final estimates will be released in August 2013 in Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (cat. no. 3238.0.55.001) with detailed commentary. A time series of data going back to 2001 will be released in the first half of 2014 in Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2001 to 2026 (cat. no. 3238.0).

The preliminary estimates released in this publication are based on the 2011 Census of Population and Housing counts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, adjusted for net undercount as measured by the Post Enumeration Survey. Details of the estimation methodology are provided in Feature Article: Methodology used to produce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population Estimates (included in this publication).


POPULATION

The preliminary estimated resident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia as at 30 June 2011 was 670,000 people, or 3.0% of the total Australian population.

NSW had the largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population (208,400 people), followed by Queensland (188,900 people) and Western Australia (88,300 people). These three states combined comprised 72.5% of the total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia. The Australian Capital Territory had the smallest population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (6,200 people).


PRELIMINARY POPULATION ESTIMATES, INDIGENOUS STATUS BY STATE AND TERRITORY - 30 JUNE 2011

PRELIMINARY POPULATION ESTIMATES, INDIGENOUS STATUS - 30 JUNE 2011

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Non-Indigenous
Total
persons
persons
persons

New South Wales
208 364
7 003 104
7 211 468
Victoria
47 327
5 487 199
5 534 526
Queensland
188 892
4 285 206
4 474 098
South Australia
37 392
1 600 840
1 638 232
Western Australia
88 277
2 263 938
2 352 215
Tasmania
24 155
487 040
511 195
Northern Territory
68 901
162 430
231 331
Australian Capital Territory
6 167
361 585
367 752
Australia(a)
669 736
21 654 197
22 323 933

(a) Includes Other Territories



Age and sex structure

The preliminary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 30 June 2011 had a younger age structure than the non-Indigenous population, with a larger proportion of young people and a smaller proportion of older people (see graph below). The much younger age structure of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is largely a product of relatively high levels of fertility and mortality compared with the non-Indigenous population.

In 2011, the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under 15 years of age was 35.8%, compared with 18.3% of the non-Indigenous population in the same age group. Persons aged 65 years and over comprised 3.4% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and 14.1% of the non-Indigenous population. The age structures of the male and the female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations were similar.

Preliminary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous populations - 30 June 2011
Diagram: Preliminary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous populations—30 June 2011